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Rev. Al Sharpton: President Bush's Response "Inexcusable"

Topics

More public figures have spoken out, lambasting the government"s slow response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Reverend Al Sharpton spoke in Houston on Saturday and said that race played a role. [includes rush transcript]

He called President Bush’s response to the crisis "inexcusable." He noted the difference between the governemnt"s rapid response to the hurricane in Florida last year that hit mostly white upper-middle class areas and to Hurricane Katrina that hit the mostly black New Orleans and Mississippi.

Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking in Houston.

TRANSCRIPT

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

REV. AL SHARPTON: I feel race was a factor. Why? I remember almost a year ago to the day I was in Florida when a hurricane was coming not a point four, not a point five, and I saw the white house move. I saw the government of the president’s brother move. National guard was already alerted before the storm ever hit. It seems to me that if we can be alert in Palm Beach, Florida, we could have been alert in New Orleans.

AMYGOODMAN: That was the Reverend Al Sharpton speaking in Houston this weekend.

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